Shoot 16:9 or not? Help!!!!!!

[Bryan Aycock]

This is probably an easy question, so I'll cut straight to the chase. I'm producing a DVD and am shooting with the XL2 in 16:9 mode. My problem arises whenever my target audience views the DVD--some will have widescreen TVs, but most will have 4:3 standard def TVs. What is the most common approach, as I no little about this problem.
1. Is it possible to set the DVD up to where my audience has the option to view it either letterboxed on a 4:3 screen or full resolution on their widescreen?
2. Is there a particular way it should be edited, and/or is it all controlled in the DVD creation process?
3. How will a standard def image be displayed on a high def TV?

[Adam Bray]

I'm no expert, but here's how I beleive it will work out..

1. Is it possible to set the DVD up to where my audience has the option to view it either letterboxed on a 4:3 screen or full resolution on their widescreen?

No.

2. Is there a particular way it should be edited, and/or is it all controlled in the DVD creation process?

Edit it how you want. But if you shoot in 16:9, export it to DVD in 16:9

3. How will a standard def image be displayed on a high def TV?

Standard on a high def TV will appear as standard.

[Tom Vandas]

Hi Bryan, you can set up a widescreen disk so that when played on a widescreen TV it is displayed correctly, and when played on a 4:3 TV it is displayed with a letterbox. It's not really an "option", rather more of an "either/or". I'm using DVD Studio Pro, though, check Adobe Encore for PC. Any good, current DVD authoring software should be able to set up widecreen DVDs in this way.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Bryan Aycock

1. Is it possible to set the DVD up to where my audience has the option to view it either letterboxed on a 4:3 screen or full resolution on their widescreen?

Yes. The menu of the DVD player should have a menu option to select the format of the screen it's to be shown on. If 16:9, playback is obviously as shot and edited. If 4:3 I'd then expect another option to select whether it should be shown letterboxed or centre cut. In the latter case, the advantage (over letterbox) is the screen is filled (no black bars), the disadvantage is that some of the picture is lost off the sides.

For making the DVD, it's not an issue, shoot, edit and author in 16:9. The player will sort it out the same way it does for the majority of commercially bought films.